Thanks for visiting my podcast about all things Scottish, from bagpipes to whisky. I hope you'll enjoy the many guests and subjects we'll present here. My style is to chat with my guests as if we were sharing a cuppa across the kitchen table, not separated by thousands of miles of ocean. So put the kettle on and join us...

Whisky aka Scotch is the unquestioned king of the Scottish drinks and distilling industry, reigning supreme over all others. Yet in recent years it is gin, that has risen to over take both whisky and vodka as the favorite tipple across the UK. Last year gin sales rose to a record £1.5 billion or about 55 million bottles - the UK's entire population is about 60 million. Scotland already produces some of the world's best known gins, including Gordon's, Tanqueray, and Hendricks. Today however, there are more than 150 Scottish gins and Scotland produces 70% of all the gin consumed in the UK.

It's this new thirst for gin that's led to an explosion of artisan or craft gins all across Scotland. In every region of the country gin makers, large and small, are using Scotland's vast array of natural botanicals to create a seemingly endless variety of gin expressions. These botanicals are as iconic as Scottish heather and as unexpected as hand harvested sugar kelp (seaweed.) Other makers are turning to unique ingredients beyond botanicals. For example, the House of Elrick uses fresh water from Loch Ness to make their gin (supplied by another new upstart company, Loch Ness Water, profiled in an earlier episode of this podcast.) Edin Mill. whose distillery is barely a 3-par from the famed golf course of St. Andrews, is crafting a gin flavored in part with hickory shavings, the wood used in vintage golf clubs. Cask aged gins, like Firkin Gin (also profiled in an earlier episode), making use of ex-whisky casks and calling on Scotland's rich distilling history, are another example of the level of creativity that has flavored Scotland's gin industry.

A few of Scotland's unique gins, clockwise from top left: Strathearn Heather Rose Gin, as the name implies, uses Scottish Heather among its botanicals; Isle of Harris uses hand harvested sugar kelp (seaweed); House of Elrick is crafted with water from Loch Ness; Edin Mill's Golf expression utilizes hickory chips; Firkin helped introduce whisky cask aged gins; Hendrick's, known for its cucumber influence was introduced in 1999.

Previously, if asked to identify the most significant recent development in Scotland's gin industry, many pointed to the release of cucumber infused Hendricks Gin in 1999, but the explosion in craft gins since 20-teens is unprecedented. In 2014, when there were about two dozen craft gins in Scotland, the Wine and Spirit Trade Association embraced gin by creating Scotland's very own Gin Trail. With 17 stopping points from the Central Belt to Shetland the trail was meant to tie tourism to the gin experience. And why not, no less a then emerging tourist attraction than The North Coast 500 includes Dunnet Bay Distillery, producers of the aromatic Rock Rose Gin.

Just as this podcast was being produced (July 2018) one of Scotland's newest gins, from one of Scotland's newest distilleries, GlenWyvis Goodwill gin was released, now being produced in it's own still named "Heather." (For more on the unique community owned GlenWyvis distillery in Dingwall please enjoy our earlier podcast episode.)

Today, thanks to the Scottish Gin Society, a new social organization that allows gin fans and gin makers to freely mingle, tourist can go a step further with their map of Scottish gin distilleries and their A to Z(ed) guide to Scottish gins. The Society was founded about two years ago by Glasgow businessman and gin enthusiast Stephen White.

The society's Brand Ambassador, Allison Higgins says its not a far stretch to imagine that there could come a day when Scotland could be best known for gin, not Scotch. She points to the demographics of 18-24 and 25 to 34 year olds who are coming of age and establishing their social and drinking habits in this age of gin resurgence noting that they will be drinking gin for generations to come. So while whisky remains king of the Scottish drinks industry, gin is now unquestionably the crown prince and first in line of succession to the crown.

(For more on Scotland Food & Drink, please enjoy any of the earlier episodes below.)

In the past few years gin production, especially craft and artisan gin, has exploded across Scotland as gin has risen to overtake whisky and vodka as the preferred tipple across the UK. What’s behind this movement and where will it lead?

Among Scotland's newest distilleries is GlenWyvis in Dingwall on the Black Isle in the Scottish Highlands. Run by renewable green energy, it was financed largely by a massive crowd-funding campaign to establish Scotland's first community-owned distillery.

Loch Ness Water is the first drinkable bottled water sourced from Scotland's world famous loch. Offered in both still and sparkling, the young company is making strong inroads into the tourist and whisky trades, as well as the restaurant and hotel segments of Scotland's vibrant food and drink industry.

Scotland's craft gin industry has enjoyed phenomenal growth in the past three years. One of the newest entries into this market is Firkin Gin - matured in American Oak casks from Gleann Mor Spirits of Dunbar, East Lothian.

Donna Bradley's Wee Sweetie Confectionery Creations is a business born of necessity (a battle with Crohn's disease) and natural causes (her sweet tooth)! Hers is a bespoke candies business that in only 18-months has a near worldwide following thanks to social media.

Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish that is often misunderstood, beloved by millions and reviled by just as many. No longer just a poor working man's meal, haggis comes in many varieties and can be used as an ingredient in dishes as diverse as burgers, pizzas and nachos, to spaghetti, lasagna, and even eggs benedict.

Tom Thompson has been drinking whisky, like many Scots, from a ripe YOUNG age. For the past several years be's be recording his "tasting notes" in the form of reviews. Here he shares his knowledge of the "water of life" and tips for how to find the whisky that is just right for you!

2015 is the "Year of Food and Drink" in Scotland. It's the annual themed tourism promotion from Visit Scotland, but it's also the perfect excuse to explore Scotland's amazing larder of produce from whisky, gin, craft beer, and spring water to seafood, highland beef, lamb, and yes, haggis and deep fried Mars bars!